Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1887-01-20
Farming in 1893.

The condition of the white farm
laborers in the North in the first half
century of our national existence was
not much better than that of the negroes
at the South at the present time. 1t is
stated that in 1898 the Schuylkill and
Susquehanna Canal Company adver-
tised for workmen, offering S. a month
for the winter months and So for sum-
mer, with board and lodging. The
next year there was u debate in the
House of Representatives which brought
out the fact that soldiers got but So a
month. AVermont member, discussing
the proposal TO raise it to 81, said that
in his state men were hired for Els q
year, or 81 month, with board and
clothing Mr.. Wadsworth, of Penn
sylvapia, said: "ln the states north of
Pennsylvania the wages of the common
laborer are not, upon the whole, SUI
perior to those of the common soldier.
In 1897 Rhode Island farmer hired
good farm hand at 50 month, and
SIS Ii month was paid to those who got
employment for the eight busy months
of The farmers year A strong boy
could be had at that time in Connecti-
cut at 81 month through those months,
and he earned it by working from day
break until or o'clock at night. He
could buy n coarse cotton shirt with the
earnings of three such months. The
farmers could pay no better, for the
price they got for produce was wretch
ed. Butter sold at cents a pound,
and when it rose suddenly to 10 cents
several farmers wives and daughters
went out of their minds with excite
ment Women picked the wool off the
bushes and briers where the sheep had
left it, and spun and knit it into nit
tens, to earn 81 q year by this toilsome
business. They hired out as help for
% cents month and board. BY a
days's hard work at the spinning-wheel
woman and girl together could earn
II cents. As late as 1881 the best farm
hands couyl be had for % cents day,
or twice as much in moving time.
At the beginning of the present CEN
fury tho New England and Middle
States each raised wheat, and India
corn enough to supply its own wants.
Now the greater part of the flour and
corn consumed in those states is brought
from the far West. In later years much
of the beef consumed was raised near
the slaughter house where it was killed,
and the raising of fat cattle was q
profitable branch of rural industry.
When the railroads were extended into
the distant West and down into Texas,
cattle began to be transported over
them, and now many of our markets
are supplied with what is known as
'embalmed beef This Western meat
is a very wholesome food, but there are
those, and butchers tell me that the
number is increasing, who prefer to
have beef raised and Killed near them,
and not brought hundreds of miles,
either alive OF dead.
This renders it desirable for farmers
to raise oxen and cows that they can
fatten rs they grow old True, the best
mixers are generally raw-boned ami
mails, for the taking on of flesh is incom-
patible with q copious secretion of
milk. The quantity of nutrihve matter
eaten by q COW is, of necessity, limited,
and it cannot perform two offices, form
ing flesh aud fat, and also being Sc
GREETED in the form of milk. There are
few deep mixers, however, that will
not, when the secretion Of milk is sus-
pended; take on flesh rapidly. This
have found TO be the case with the yell
low-skin, white shorthorns that | have
raised for many years. Beef cattle may
be low just now, but the time is not far
distant when they will command good
prices. Ben: Fericy io0re.